Time Out Ranks The World’s 30 Coolest Streets (5 U.S. Cities Made The List)

24.03.2024 - 17:15 / forbes.com

Every year, Time Out ranks the best cities in the world. For 2024, it’s ranking the world’s 30 coolest streets—and five U.S. cities made the cut. But these are not expected spots (sorry, Fifth Avenue). Instead these are places with true character and charm, where you can eat, drink, dance, shop and stroll.

“These streets are places with real character and community at their heart, where in-the-know locals go to hang out, eat, drink, dance and shop,” Grace Beard, Time Out’s travel editor, told me in an interview. “This is a definitive guide to the very coolest bits of the world’s most exciting cities, for travelers who really want to get a taste of local life on their next city break.”

High Street in Melbourne, Australia came out on top, with Time Out naming it the coolest street on the planet. “High Street is cool in all the ways you’d expect with its unique, something-for-everyone local businesses.” Leah Glynn, Time Out’s Melbourne editor, told me in an interview “There are epic restaurants, hidden bars, live music venues and boutique shops—but there’s also a warm sense of community spirit that means everyone feels welcome. It’s a place where people want to spend their time, and in our opinion, it doesn’t get much cooler than that.”

What makes Melbourne’s High Street so cool? “It’s cool in all the ways you’d expect with its unique, something-for-everyone local businesses,” says Glynn. “There are epic restaurants, hidden bars, live music venues and boutique shops—but there’s also a warm sense of community spirit that means everyone feels welcome. It’s a place where people want to spend their time, and in our opinion, it doesn’t get much cooler than that.”

The United States was the country with the most streets on this list—five overall. “The fact that an impressive five U.S. streets made this year’s list of the World’s Coolest Streets is a testament to the strong community resiliency found across America right now,” Will Gleason, Time Out’s content director Americas told me in an interview. “While central business districts may still be adapting to the new normal of hybrid work, more residential and mixed-use areas are thriving thanks to independent stores, innovative restaurants and bars, social gathering spaces and green initiatives.”

What’s the top street in the United States? East Eleventh in Austin, Texas, where you’ll find food, culture, music, and more. It came in number three overall. “In Austin, there is no other street that captures the city’s spirit more than East Eleventh,” says Gleason. “Unlike other streets in the city, it’s not constantly vying for the spotlight but earns its beloved status among locals by packing every square inch with incredible food, excellent coffee, a historic